Part 8/15:
Command Challenges and Disjointed Orders
Throughout the day, confusion among Allied commanders compounded the difficulties. Norrie’s attempt to reposition Pienaar’s South Africans was marred by poor communication, leading to delays and misunderstandings. Pienaar’s recurrent delays—hesitant to move without explicit clarification—meant that critical opportunities to reinforce the embattled New Zealanders were missed. Norrie’s personal intervention with Pienaar exemplified the disarray: he decided to lead the South African column himself, but the units fell behind, losing valuable time and momentum.